Skylight rib construction



July 31, 1934. s. E. CIBULAS 1,968,125

SKYLIGHT RIB CONSTRUCTION Filed March 11, 1933 INVENTOR Patented July 31, 1934 UNITED "STATES. OFFI-CEQ 1,968,135 I I .SKYLIGHT I 'Q consTitUo'rIoN' Stephen E.Cibu' las, Bridgeport,(lonnl I I I Application Mar n 11, 1933,:Seria'l no. 660,394:-

5ma remn n This invention relates to new and useful improvements in glass holding and supporting means, and has particular rib construction. 1

relation to .a skylight An object of the invention is to provide a sinfple glass holding and supporting means or rib so constructed that allwater, whether condensetion formed on the glass or rain or the like; is collected and carried oiT so that there is no danger of water freezing in-the joint between two adja cent panes of glass and so'that expansion and contraction of the parts may take place without breakage of glass or other damage. a I

Other objects and advantages will become ap parent from a consideration of the following -de-' Fig. 1 is a sectional view through a skylight.

showing my improved rib construction in sideelevation;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through therib, the view being taken substantially along the line 2- -2 of Fig. 1 and on anenlarged scale;

Fig. 3' is a longitudinal sectional view through the rib and a partial side enlarged scale; and

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional slightly modified construction forming the sweat gutters.

elevation on'the same view showing a Referring in detail to the drawin '5 indicates a curb of any suitable-construction surrounding an opening in'a roof and mounted on the'upper edge of this curb is a base member 6 formedbf sheet metal and including a downwardly and outwardly curved portion forming a gutter '7. The

outer wall of this member extends upwardly beyond the curb as shown at 8 and is then bent downwardly and outwardly as at 9 to form a seat" for the lower edge-0f a glass 10. j'Beyondthe point 9 the member is carried downwardly *belowthe:

glass to providea drip gutter 11 and is then extended upwardly to form a stop wall 12 for-the lower edge of the glass. Gutters 7 and 11 are provided with suitable openings 13 and 14 respectively for the exit of moisture.

The side edges or the adjacent edges of the pieces of glass and 15 are supported by my improved rib construction generally designated what.

of the member lfififiTheconstruction includes a supporting bar l'lm'ade of relativelyhea'w gaug'e'sheet metal bent-into the form of a trough and being substantially U-shape in transverse section and with the' side walls preferably flared upwardly some I This bar or trough 17 therefore includes ajbottomwall 18 and side walls 19 which'as here shown diverge upwardly andare free at their upper ends. Asthe description proceeds-it will become evident that this particularconstruction of the trough is not essential. A longitudinally extending member 20 is arranged on the bar or trough l'lstraddling'the open upper side thereof and this member 20 includes a trough like central or bod y portion 21 at each edge of 'which is 'a' relatively flat seat portion 22 and beyond said portion the sides 23'of the member are carrieddownwardly atthe outer sides of the walls 19 of the trough. I Then the longitudinal edge portions of said member 20 are curved outwardly and upwardly and spaced laterally from the side walls 23to' provide sweat gutters 24; I

.At "spacedpoints along its depressed trough or gutter portion 21 the member 20 is provided with openings 25 providing drain openings and they "maybe flanged as shown in Figs. 2 and 13 I or the holeSfmay' be flat, or that is without flanges, as s'hownat 25a in Fig. 4". Resting on the upper surface'of member 20 is 'a packing 26 which. maybe of any suitable' mater-ial, as roofing, felt, asbestos, or any kind of hair felt, or soft metal, as lead. This packing is at spaced points' 'proyided with'drain' openings 27 which openings are preferably aligned with the open ings 25 in the member 20.

The adjacent edges of the glass panes 10 and 15 areseated on the packing-26 and disposed on' the uppers'urfaceof the glass'is a cap 28 somewhat in theform Oran inverted'U having one of its siaeeengagmg each pane of glass. This cap spans the space 30 between the adjacent edges of the glasses anda bolt '29 is connected with'the" bar or trough 1'7 and extends upwardly through the space 30 between the glassand throughthe cap 28, on the upper-end of this bolt therefis threaded a nut 31 and surrounding the bolt and located between nut 31. and a washer'32' is a.co il spring 33. v This spring serves td press thecap against the glass and thus press the glass down. onto the packing. 1 I I Bolt29' ,hasits head 34 disposed at the under side of the trough and'it is tobenoted that this head of the bolt is seated in the bottom of an inverted cup through which the bolt extends whereby the opening for the bolt is located above the bottom of the trough or gutter 17 so that moisture cannot leak through the opening. Within the gutter a washer 36 may be disposed about the bolt and clamped against the upper side of the cup 35 as by a nut 37. It will be appreciated that bolts 29 are arranged at desired intervals along the length of the rib 16 and these bolts extend through the openings 25 in the member 20 and the openings 27 in the packing 26 and through the space 30 between the adjacent edges of panes of glass. The openings 25 and 27 are preferably arranged in relatively close relation, as for example about eight inches apart, and there are more of such openings than there are bolts.

At its upper end the rib construction may be supported as on a ridge beam 38. A ridge plate 39 rests on the top of this beam and the lower flanges 40 of a ridge member 41 rest on this plate. It will be noted that the ridge member 41 is of sheet metal so bent that its top walls 42 are inclined to substantially the pitch of the glass and then the side walls 43 extend down wardly to the flanges 40 which are also substantially of the same pitch as the glass. Thus, the upper end portion of the supporting bar or gutter 17 rests on a flange 40 and abuts a wall 43 of the member 41. The upper edges of the glass are enclosed and clamped in position as by a ridge cap 44.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the adjacent edges of the panes of glass are supported by the bar or trough 17 which carries the longitudinal member 20 in turn supporting the packing 26. Any moisture entering between the adjacent edges of the glass panes passes through the openings 2'7 in the packing to the member 20 and thence through the openings 25 to the trough or bar 17 which drains into the small gutter 7 at the outer side of the sill 5 and onto the roof. Condensation forming on the inner surface of the glass drains into the sweat gutters 24 to be carried to the gutter 7. Therefore, no moisture can gather in the joint to freeze the entire skylight into one solid mass such as would prevent normal expansion and contraction of the various parts. All water entering the joint is immediately drained from it and carried outwardly beyond the sill 5. Also, it will be noted that the construction described is relatively simple and such as may be made from relatively heavy gauge sheet metal whereby to be strong and durable and that the parts may be easily and quickly assembled.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A skylight construction comprising a trough shaped supporting bar having upwardly extending spaced side walls, a longitudinally extending member spanning the open side of the trough and supported on the upper edges of the side walls thereof, two pieces of glass having their adjacent edges in spaced relation and supported on said member, and said member having a series of openings therein spaced longitudinally, said openings being between the edges of the glass and the side walls of the trough to drain water entering between the said edges freely into the trough, and a cap secured on top of the glass and covering the space between the edges thereof.

2. A skylight construction comprising a trough shaped supporting bar having upwardly extending spaced side walls, a longitudinally extending sheet metal member spanning the open side of the trough and supported on the upper edges of the side walls thereof, a packing on the upper surface of said member, two pieces of glass having their adjacent edges in spaced relation and seated on said packing so as to be supported on said member, said member and packing having a series of spaced openings therethrough located between the edges of the glass and the side walls of the trough to drain water entering between said edges freely into the trough, and a cap secured on top of the glass and covering the space between the edges thereof.

3. -A skylight construction comprising a trough shaped supporting bar having upwardly extending spaced side walls, a longitudinally extending member extending between and supported on the upper edges of said side walls, said member having a depressed longitudinal trough in its top wall, two pieces of glass having their adjacent edges in spaced relation and supported on said member with the space between its edges over the trough so that water passing through said space enters the trough, said member being provided with spaced openings through the lower part of the trough to drain the water into the supportingbar, and a cap secured on top of the glass and'covering said space.

4. A skylight construction comprising a trough shaped supporting bar having upwardly extending spaced sidewalls, a longitudinal member extending between and supported on the upper edges of said side walls, two pieces of glass having their adjacent edges in spaced relation and supported on said member, said member being provided with a longitudinal trough in its top wall under the space between the edges to collect water passing therethrough and having openings in the trough to drain the water into the supporting bar, said member also having side portions extending downwardly and then upwardly at the outer sides of said side walls to provide sweat gutters, a longitudinal cap on the glass and coveringthe said space, and securing bolts passing through the cap and the bottom of the supporting bar to clamp the members together.

5. A skylight construction comprising a trough shapedsupporting bar.having upwardly extending spaced side walls, a longitudinal sheet metal member extending between and supported on the upper edges of said side walls, a packing on the top of said member, two pieces of glass having their adjacent edges in spaced relation and seated on said packing so as to be supported on said member, said member being provided with a longitudinal trough in its top wall under the space between the edges of the glass, said packing hav- 

